Infrastructure Firms Win Rs 422.4 mn Tree Protection Contracts

10 Jul 2026 CW Team

Civic records show the BMC awarded contracts totalling Rs 422.4 mn to remove and prune dead and dangerous trees across 23 municipal wards from May 2026 to May 2027. The tenders were estimated at Rs 768.2 mn but were awarded at an average of 45 per cent below that figure, reducing the final contract value by about Rs 346 mn and raising concerns over quality. Officials and councillors said bids 40-50 per cent below estimates are usually scrutinised closely.

D S Infrastructure was the largest beneficiary, winning five tenders worth about Rs 97.7 mn, while four other firms secured multiple wards and together accounted for 13 of the 24 contracts. A contractor for the H?East ward has yet to be appointed. The BMC requires bidders to employ at least one qualified horticulturist and to have prior government garden experience, but activists said these conditions are insufficient.

Former Tree Authority members and practising arborists said outsourcing had eroded institutional knowledge and urged a scientific tree census every five years alongside restoration of junior tree officers to monitor health. One International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist warned that construction and transport firms often lack arboriculture experts and that aggressive underbidding can result in haphazard pruning and inadequate risk assessments. Civic data records 12 major tree?fall incidents that claimed 13 lives and left 18 people seriously injured between 2015 and June 2026; the deputy municipal commissioner for gardens was unavailable for comment.

"Join industry leaders at RAHSTA Expo, India's premier platform for roads, highways and traffic infrastructure. Register now to explore innovations, network with experts and shape the future of mobility."

The recent spate of tree collapses after the onset of the monsoon has prompted civic authorities to review urban tree management in Mumbai. Since 2014 the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has outsourced tree care and safety to private contractors rather than relying on the garden department's staff and maalis. Critics say this shift has reduced the city's in-house capacity for hazard identification, propping and scientific pruning. Civic records show the BMC awarded contracts totalling Rs 422.4 mn to remove and prune dead and dangerous trees across 23 municipal wards from May 2026 to May 2027. The tenders were estimated at Rs 768.2 mn but were awarded at an average of 45 per cent below that figure, reducing the final contract value by about Rs 346 mn and raising concerns over quality. Officials and councillors said bids 40-50 per cent below estimates are usually scrutinised closely. D S Infrastructure was the largest beneficiary, winning five tenders worth about Rs 97.7 mn, while four other firms secured multiple wards and together accounted for 13 of the 24 contracts. A contractor for the H?East ward has yet to be appointed. The BMC requires bidders to employ at least one qualified horticulturist and to have prior government garden experience, but activists said these conditions are insufficient. Former Tree Authority members and practising arborists said outsourcing had eroded institutional knowledge and urged a scientific tree census every five years alongside restoration of junior tree officers to monitor health. One International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist warned that construction and transport firms often lack arboriculture experts and that aggressive underbidding can result in haphazard pruning and inadequate risk assessments. Civic data records 12 major tree?fall incidents that claimed 13 lives and left 18 people seriously injured between 2015 and June 2026; the deputy municipal commissioner for gardens was unavailable for comment.

Real Estate

10 Jul 2026

NCW closes PRIME Offices Fund at Rs 40 billion

Nuvama and Cushman & Wakefield Management (NCW) has announced the final close of its flagship PRIME Offices Fund at approximately Rs 40 billion, exceeding its original target of Rs 30 billion following strong investor demand.The fund was launched to provide Indian investors with access to institutional-grade commercial office assets across key office markets in the country. According to NCW, the increase in the fund size was supported by strong investor participation and the availability of investment opportunities in India's office sector.The fund has already committed around 45 per cent ..

Real Estate

10 Jul 2026

Mayfair Housing adopts Autodesk Forma for digital project planning

Mayfair Housing has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with Autodesk to deploy Autodesk Forma, an AI-enabled cloud platform, as part of its digital transformation programme aimed at improving project planning and execution across its development and redevelopment portfolio.The platform will be integrated into the company's Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflow to support architects, planners and project teams during the early stages of design and development. Autodesk Forma combines real-world data, environmental simulations and collaborative workflows to facilitate data-d..

Infrastructure Transport

10 Jul 2026

Bhadradri Kothagudem Greenfield Airport Proposal Advances

The plan for a greenfield airport for Bhadradri Kothagudem in Telangana has moved closer to realisation after the state government chose two sites following a feasibility study. Seethampeta and Sujathanagar were identified as the most feasible locations based on land, terrain, environmental impact, runway alignment and transport links. The proposal now awaits approval from the Union government. Raj Technologies prepared the feasibility study after examining six potential sites and concluded that around 667 acres can be developed at the two preferred locations without major technical or environ..